My Top 10 Albums of 2009

I really enjoyed the amount of music we were given in 2009. Lots of good stuff. The following were my "favorites."















(NUMBER 1)
Manchester Orchestra -Mean Everything to Nothing-
It was really tough deciding on my #1 album of 2009. Lets see, Hello Hurricane might have changed my life (I'll let you know years from now), and Curse Your Branches is extremely haunting and pretty incredible. Not to take ANYTHING away from Jon Foreman, or David Bazan, but they're known for the kind of material they released this year (even if it is extremely better than their previous efforts) I just feel like Manchester's new album, Mean Everything to Nothing is unlike anything I've heard this year. It kind of stands alone. I can't really explain it any other way. I love the way the record is mixed, mastered and produced to perfection, yet it's one of the most disgusting, and raw sounding albums as well. Manchester Orchestra really does have their own sound..and it feels like only a few bands can do that anymore. Some of the words on this album are absolutely perfect, and some I'm still trying to figure out for myself. I love that!
Favorite tracks: "Shake it out" "Tony the tiger" "The river" and "I can feel a hot one"
















(NUMBER 2)
David Bazan -Curse Your Branches-
You know you're in for some kind of dark ride through spirituality when someone is singing, "If You knew what would happen and made us just the same, then You, my Lord, can take the blame." Dealing with some of the moments on this record has been really strange. All of the songs are so warm and inviting, but after you're caught singing along you start to realize that some of the things you're repeating would be grounds for blaspheme.. if you're the Bible type that is. For me, I love being tested and led to questioning. I'm still working on fully diving into where it is I gave my life away. Aside from being wonderfully written, Curse Your Branches has been an interesting tour guide for myself as I walk around this place. Curse your Branches is being called David Bazan's breakup from God album. Since I've starting listening it's only led me down positive roads, mentally.
Favorite tracks: "Hard to be" "When we fell" and "Bless this mess"
















(NUMBER 3)
Switchfoot -Hello Hurricane-
You hear so much about how certain albums, or songs, really hit home to people. Personally, I get sick of hearing that. There's no reason I should find that annoying, but I do. I mean, the songs are good, they make you feel good, or they make you feel not alone. In the end they're just amazing songs, or albums and that's all, right? Well, I must report that an album has finally hit home with me. An album that in twenty/thirty years from now I'll think about and instantly remember the journey I spent with it. I was able to get the album months before it released..and from day one with Hello Hurricane it felt like I was outside of myself watching everything that was happening in my life get put into a time capsule that I'll never forget about. These tunes were there during the happiest time(s) I've ever known to exist, and somehow were even there for some fairly shallow moments as well..all the while providing such intense hope. Hello Hurricane is probably the most personal album known to my brain, my heart. I'll never forget what this album has done for me and where it's been with me-the highest of highs, lows, prayers, a sense that something bigger is in control, and that with all of these things there is hope.
Favorite tracks: "Enough to let me go" "Yet" and "Red Eyes"




(NUMBER 4)
Fiction Family -Self titled-
I didn't want to have Jon Foreman in my top 5 twice, because god knows I'd follow his work to the end of the earth. BUT!.. Mix Jon Foreman with Sean Watkins and you get an extremely solid and unique album. People that I know that hate Switchfoot always seem to love Jon when he plays alone, or now with this new band. I think "War in my blood" is one of Jon's top five songs. Sometimes I feel like Sean is too smart for his own good. He's probably better than most of the work he did for this album. I suppose he knows what he's doing though. I got to see Fiction Family in Chicago and I left extremely happy with what they were doing with music. They decided to take another shot at it too. The two are recording their follow-up right now.
Favorite tracks: "War in my blood" "Elements combined" and "Please don't call it love"












(NUMBER 5)
John Mayer -Battle Studies-
I figured John Mayer would be in my top 10, but I didn't know he would find his way into my top 5. I had to put him up against my previous #5 (Kid Cudi, or The Avett Brothers) and then I laughed and made my choice fairly quick. John Mayer always makes an album better than his last one. You hardly ever see that, right? On the song "Do you know me" I finally felt a different feeling from a John Mayer song. Taylor Swift on "Half of my heart" ...Pretty cool, especially for me. Some of my friends really love Continuum though and will take it over Battle Studies right now. Actually, now that I think about it I might have to think twice too. Hmm. Oh, there are two things I can't stand with this album though- 1) The lame title and 2) The closing song (with more boring solos) and terrible lyrics .. I have a love hate relationship with John Mayer, but what guy doesn't?
Favorite tracks: "War of my life" "Half of my heart" "Do you know me" and "Heartbreak warfare"










6) Kid Cudi -Man on the Moon: The end of day
I get exposed to a lot of rap/hip-hop music (underground, mainstream, and the wannabes) from my friend Gary. The only thing I can say is this: I don't like most of it. I like a lot of what Kanye West does. If the cool kids, or Atmosphere is playing I probably wouldn't complain. I'll never like the Black Eyed Peas, or anything like that. Eminem is awesome and hilarious. Jay z is cool sometimes. Lil Wayne can make lines up like "I'm counting all day like a clock on a wall." and everyone will eat it up. When I heard Kid Cudi I finally believed a "rapper" while he was rapping (first time was Eminem). I don't know much about this area of music, but from what "I" hear Kid Cudi is better than all of these people. I like to call him "indie-rap" and I know he's been around for a long time, but this first real release of his is awesome. All of the music is actually very fitting to each song (I feel like that is never the case in rap) Either way, I love this album.
Favorite Tracks: "Soundtrack 2 my life" "CuDi Zone" "Up Up & Away" "Pursuit of Happiness"










7) The Avett Brothers -I and Love and You-
I'm not sure why I haven't listened to these guys before. I always ran from the band name. I thought it was a duo of black brothers.. not that I hate black people, but you know. Their really, really good songs make up for their terrible ones. Aside from 'January Wedding' I enjoy most of the songs on this new album. Good thing Conor Oberst tricked me into liking him, or I wouldn't have made it past the first time the lead singer of the The Avett Brothers opened his mouth. I know, "they don't sound the same!?" ..same idea.
Favorite Tracks: "Incomplete and Insecure" "Laundry Room" "Ten Thousand Words"












8) Brand New -Daisy-
Brand New started their career right at the time music like The starting line, Taking back sunday, (i don't need to name anymore), started getting huge and unfortunately paving ways for bands like The Maine, A Rocket To the moon, and Danger Radio to come in and try to make young teenagers nowadays think their awesome, like their forefathers were. I can see why people thought Brand New and then thought Taking Back Sunday. Their first record is that 1999 2000 era. Their second album still kind of felt like the first one, but you could tell something was happening to them. By their third album people other than the "emo kids" (haha oh high school) starting noticing them. With this new album, Id say Brand New has completely cut ties from who they were for the better. It feels like the Blood Brothers show up on this album a few times, except it's awesome. I love heavy rock music. Taking back sunday will never evolve into the decent rock band that Brand New is now.
Favorite Tracks: "At the bottom" "Vices" "You Stole"












9) A Fine Frenzy -Bomb in a Birdcage-
I like this album as much as her first release, if not better. They did accidentally mess up on this new album when they recorded 'Electric Twist' and then actually put it on the album.. apart from that the music is made for all to enjoy (especially college kids that free-time-read, "enjoy" coffee and carry around side bags.) Her voice will stop you and demand you listen. Alison Sudol definitely has my second favorite female voice. Kathleen Edwards might always be number one. However, the two don't have to fight over who is more attractive..
Favorite Tracks: "Happier" "What I wouldn't do" "The world without" "The Beacon"









10) A day to Remember -Homesick-
First things first: Yes, A day to remember beat Paper Route and Monsters of Folk. :) One thing I usually forget to do with music is not dissect it and just have a blast with it. So, I can't leave out, or lie about the fact that I love obvious melodies, "breakdowns", boring pop music, and hard rock music. This album is a combination of all of the previous, in regards to what the terms mean today that is. Every time I hear the opening track I just want to turn it up and listen to the entire album while driving around going nuts on my electric guitar steering wheel, kick-drum gas pedal, and keyboard dashboard. A day to remember does not have the talent in all five of them combined that just one of the members of Paper Route, or Monsters of Folk have. But the fun I had with this album just happened to do more than what's good. Then again, I think Taylor Swift is good.
Favorite Tracks: "My Life for Hire" "Have faith in me" "The downfall of us all" "Another song about the weekend"




Nobody cares about the leftovers, unless it's pizza king...but
Also liked: Paper Route, Monsters of Folk, Leeland, Grizzly Bear, Relient K, David Grey

(side note...I took the pictures of myself with at least the top 5 albums so i can remember when i look back on this blog that i used to buy hardcopies of music. buy music!)